Porta Tufi, Medieval city gate in Siena, Italy
Porta Tufi is a medieval city gate in Siena featuring three rounded arches with a central passage built from travertine marble. On either side of this passage stand two guardhouses topped with crenellated roofs that underscore the structure's defensive role.
The gate was built between 1325 and 1326 under the direction of Agnolo di Ventura as part of Siena's outermost fortification walls. It served as a strategic entry point and played an important role in the city's defensive expansion during that period.
The central arch displays a marble relief with the IHS Christogram, and a Madonna icon is preserved inside the gate structure.
The gate sits on Via Pier Andrea Mattioli and provides access to several districts of Siena with no admission charge. The location is easily reached on foot, and the site can be visited anytime since there are no set opening hours.
In July 1552, Enea Piccolomini led troops through this gate to support a rebellion against Spanish-Florentine control of the city. This event marked a pivotal moment in Siena's struggle for independence.
Location: Siena
Inception: 1325
GPS coordinates: 43.31168,11.33290
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:46
Siena is a Tuscan city built on three hills, where medieval streets wind between brick buildings and open onto piazzas. The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo hosts the Palio horse race twice a year and serves as the town's main gathering place. The Cathedral, with its black-and-white marble facade, stands on one of the highest points. From the top of Torre del Mangia, the city spreads out in all directions, with its terracotta rooftops and surrounding hills visible. Gothic and Renaissance architecture appears throughout the streets, in the form of palaces, churches, fountains and loggias. The Palazzo Pubblico contains frescoes and civic art, while the Pinacoteca Nazionale displays paintings from the Sienese School. The Biblioteca Piccolomini holds illuminated manuscripts. The Basilica of San Domenico rises on a hill, offering views across the rooftops. The Fortezza Medicea and the university botanical garden provide additional perspectives on the city and its landscape. Beyond the center, the Etruscan necropolis at Malignano, Villa di Geggiano with its gardens, and the Chianti sculpture park add to the range of places to explore.
Pinacoteca Nazionale
479 m
Sant'Agostino
331 m
Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena
278 m
San Pietro alle Scale
452 m
Madonna del Rosario
470 m
Museo di storia naturale dell'Accademia dei Fisiocritici
328 m
Villa Il Pavone
480 m
Palazzo Buonsignori
484 m
Carceri di Sant'Ansano
494 m
San Giuseppe
408 m
Oratory of Sant'Antonio da Padova
441 m
Pipe organ in Santissima Annunziata church in Siena
175 m
Santa Mustiola (Siena)
320 m
Palazzo Bisdomini
512 m
Palazzo Celsi Pollini
495 m
Palazzo Venturi Gallerani, Siena
394 m
Palazzo Pannilini
410 m
Santi Pietro e Paolo
502 m
Palazzo Bambagini Galletti
390 m
Maria Maddalena
253 m
Madonna del Corvo
520 m
Santa Maria della Visitazione
397 m
Diocesan Museum of Holy Art
492 m
Astronomical observatory of Siena observatory
319 m
Academy of Fisiocritici Library
327 m
Scheletro della balena
316 m
Aula Magna
318 m
Chiostro del Museo di Storia Naturale di Siena
315 mReviews
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